


Drakestroke: Boomerang

by C_R_Scott



Series: Drakestroke by CR Scott/A Few Novel Ideas [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Drakestroke, Gen, Janet Drake is a Good Mom, Tim Drake Needs Help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26308645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_R_Scott/pseuds/C_R_Scott
Summary: Captain Boomerang has been found dead in Gotham City, and Batman has recalled Red Robin to the Cave for questioning. Unfortunately for Bruce, Jason Todd has called in backup for Tim, and she is not pleased about this turn of events.
Relationships: Janet Drake & Tim Drake
Series: Drakestroke by CR Scott/A Few Novel Ideas [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904860
Kudos: 78
Collections: The Drakestroke Collective





	Drakestroke: Boomerang

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Restricted Work] by [LectorEl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LectorEl/pseuds/LectorEl). Log in to view. 



The single gunshot that echoed through the Cave had the desired effect Janet wanted.

Everything and everyone froze.

The shouting from the increasingly heated accusations and argument between Tim and Bruce over the murder of Captain Boomerang was cut off immediately. Janet felt a twinge of regret for visibly causing Tim to nearly jump out of his skin.

However, causing Bruce to nearly jump out of his skin, even as he was wearing his cowlless Batman uniform didn't bother her in the least. In fact, it made her feel powerful. That feeling only grew as she watched his expression morph from surprise to the start of his infamous batglare before settling on something more shocked as he recognized the face of the woman holding the smoking gun pointed in the air.

"Janet?"

Janet smirked. "Hello Bruce."

\---

Jason stood at the stairway leading to the mansion and seemed content to watch from a safe distance. He was the one who brought Janet Drake to the Cave once he heard that Bruce had recalled Tim shortly after Boomerang's death hit the police scanners that night. He also had a fairly good idea of how this was going to shake out, and while he wanted to see what was going to happen, he also did not want to get caught up in the splash radius of Janet's fury. Janet had not been happy during the drive to the manor.

Off to the side, by the training mats, Dick was standing in shocked silence, his hands firmly clamped on Damian's shoulders to keep him in place. Dick glanced at Jason and made a quiet signal asking if he needed to intervene. Immediately Jason's eyes went wide and he shook his head no emphatically while making an obvious slashing motion across his neck. Then he gave Dick the signal to just hold his ground.

\---

Janet was loathed to relinquish even a small portion of the element of surprise advantage she had in this confrontation as she walked across the Cave, her footsteps echoing. But launching her main attack on Bruce needed to wait one moment.

Unlike the Batman, she had priorities.

"Mom?" Tim's voice was low and hoarse, likely due to how he was yelling at his adopted father just a moment ago at top volume. His eyes darted nervously between Janet and Bruce until she stepped between them and laid her left hand against his cheek, forcing all his focus on her.

Tim's eyes slid shut and he leaned into his mother's touch. Some of the tension in his body bled out and he indulged in a slow measured breath.

"Did he hurt you?"

Tim open his eyes to see his mother studying his face critically, turning it slightly one way, then the other, checking for injury.

"No." Though Tim shot a glare at Bruce over his mother's shoulder. If Janet had come in a few minutes later...

Janet forced his gaze back on her. "Grab your gear and go wait by Jason," she whispered.

Tim nodded and moved to the lockers.

Bruce tried moving to intercept him. "Tim wait--"

He froze at the sound of an ominous click.

"Take one step towards my son and I'll put a bullet through your kneecap."

\---

"How dare you accuse my son of murder!" Janet hissed. Now that Tim and his well being was accounted for, Bruce had her complete and undivided attention.

"Jan--" Bruce tried to speak up, but she cut him off before he could get another syllable out.

"In what fucking universe would a _father's_ first instinct in a murder investigation involve setting his own child as the primary suspect before any others?!" Despite her anger, she flipped the safety back on her pistol and shoved it into the holster strapped to her thigh.

Tim had moved to stand between Dick and Jason, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His eyes never left his mother or father, though. There was a tension in his body, as if he was ready to spring to someone's defense in an instant if necessary.

Exactly who's defense remained to be seen.

"Janet," Bruce said as he tried to regain his mental footing. The sudden appearance of his adopted son's formerly dead mother had unbalanced him badly. "You don't have all the details--"

"Ha!" Janet's barked laugh was sharp and humorless. "Clearly neither do you!" Her eyes narrowed. "And even if you did, shouldn't your first instinct be to protect your children from harm? Oh wait, I forgot who I'm talking to."

Bruce glared at Janet. "Exactly what are you implying?!" He growled.

"Isn't it obvious? That you're a shit detective and an even worse father!"

\---

Bruce's face began to redden, though whether from embarrassment or anger no one could be certain.

"Now look here Jan--!" He tried to say, but again Janet cut him off with merciless precision.

"No! You look here, Bruce!" She snapped as she took a step into his general direction.

"How many scars does Tim have because of your fucking crusade?!" Her icy blue glare had locked onto Bruce and she took another step closer and closer with every question she voiced.

"How many gallons of his blood has soaked into the pavement of Gotham City over the years?"

"How many evenings has he been forced to survive on caffeine and adrenaline instead of a decent meal and a good night's sleep?"

"What has this life of vigilante work done to his high school GPA and university prospects?"

"Before YOU 'died' did you leave ANY contingencies in place to support ANY of your children?"

"How many times on your fucking watch has my son nearly died?!"

"How many people in his life has he lost because you were too fucking late?"

With Janet's last question she stepped into Bruce's space so they were inches apart.

...or they would have been if Bruce hadn't stepped back, unable to voice a response to any of her questions.

In the back, Dick, Jason, and Damian were all looking at Tim. His head was bowed and he had a white knuckled grip on his bag.

Janet gave Bruce one more appraising look up and down before giving him a final disgusted glare and turning her back on him to return to her son.

"Let's go home," she said softly when she was within earshot of Tim and Jason. Both of the boys went up the stairs, but not before Tim shot Bruce a cold bitter glare himself.

"Janet."

She paused on the stairs to glance disdainfully at Bruce. The two boys further up stopped too.

"What do you want?"

"How you alive? And how can you be certain Tim didn't kill Boomerang?"

Jason had to lay a hand on Tim's shoulder to keep him from storming back down the stairs, rage lighting up his eyes. Janet, on the other hand, smirked humorously at Bruce.

"You're the god-damned Batman and supposedly the world's greatest detective. Figure it out your fucking self."

\---

Back in the jeep they had borrowed from Slade for this impromptu road trip to Wayne manor, Jason glanced at the mother and son through the rear view mirror. Tim had his face buried in his hands and Janet was trying to comfort him.

"So.. How do you know Tim didn't off Boomerang?" Jason asked curiously.

"Because I killed him myself," Janet said coolly.

Tim lifted his head to look at his mother in surprise. "You killed him?"

She stroked Tim's hair. "He murdered your father. And though we'd been apart for years... I still loved Jack... He didn't deserve to go the way he did at that bastard's hands." She looked at Tim. "And you don't need that bastard plaguing your nightmares anymore."

Tim's hands began to shake a little. "Captain Boomerang... Is gone... He's really gone?"

Janet held her son as he buried his face in his hands once more, this time as a sob of relief broke through him.

"Yes... He's gone..."

\- [Source](https://afewnovelideas.tumblr.com/post/627666121778135040/bruces-face-began-to-redden-though-whether-from)


End file.
